If you're having trouble locating them through a local dealer, why not just order them direct from the Etymotic web site store? Here's the URL for the order page ... Etymotic Research, Inc. - ER-4? earphones

Yes, that might be so -- but since those three models (4P, 4S, and 4B) initially all cost the same, I was hoping someone could point me to a source that was selling also the 4B at the $200 street price. (Btw, the 4B is the flat & linear studio/monitor version of those earphones.)